Lake Ellen
Iron County, Michigan140 acresView mapDirections
Not Rated: one monitoring station are on record, but they measured water clarity only. LakeQuality’s A–F method grades total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity; clarity is shown, not scored.
- 73 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lake Ellen in Iron County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 73 ft. Surface area: 139.9 acres.
- Clarity
- 17.5 ft
- Max depth
- 73 ft
- Area
- 140 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Lake Ellen
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Watch Lake Ellen’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Lake Ellen, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 73 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Lake Ellen has no grade
Lake Ellen has monitoring on record from one station, but only water clarity was measured. LakeQuality’s A–F letter uses total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity against EPA National Lakes Assessment condition classes. With none of those grading measurements on record, Lake Ellen is Not Rated — not an F. Its 17.5-foot median from 75 readings collected 2016–2021 is still shown as clarity, but clarity alone cannot earn a letter.
Not Rated is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by EGLE and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Lake Ellen is a 140-acre lake in Iron County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 73 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2021-08-28. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Lake Ellen is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water17.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Deep water73 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Lake Ellen
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 17.5 ft down. TSI 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 73 ft |
| Surface Area | 140 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Lake Ellen CampgroundPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Lake Ellen
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 8 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.391 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.4 µg/L/yr | 7 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.15 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Graded lakes near Lake Ellen
Lake Ellen has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Iron County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Ellen
Where is Lake Ellen?
- Lake Ellen is a lake in Iron County, Michigan. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity.
What is the water quality grade for Lake Ellen?
- Lake Ellen in Iron County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 73 ft. Surface area: 139.9 acres.
Is Lake Ellen safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Ellen?
- Lake Ellen has a maximum depth of 73 feet. The lake covers 139.9 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Ellen?
- Lake Ellen has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Ellen Campground. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lake Ellen across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
75 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS75 samples · 2016–2021
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory